Gold-saving device.



W. G FOX, DEGD.

L. J. FOX, ADMINISTRATOR.

GOLD SAVING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.29,1913.

1,092,524, Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

INVENTOR 4/620; new, Zea 1c; JFox, /4dmilzis Tral'br ATTORNEY s'rArEs ATENT curios.

WILLIAM 0. FOX, DECEASED, LATE or SAN FRANCIsco, CALIFORNIA, RY LEWIS 5.

FOX, ADMINISTRATOR, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

GOLD-SAVING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. *7, 1914.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that WILLIAM 0. Fox, deceased, late a citizen of the United States and resident of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, did invent new and useful Improvements in Gold-Saving Devices, of which the following is a specification.

His invention relates to an improved apparatus for saving fine gold, the object of my invention being to provide an apparatus of this character which will be very effective for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a broken side view of his apparatus, Fig. 2 is a broken plan view thereof.

His improved apparatus is made of precisely the same uniform sections, any number of which, as may be found desirable, are

connected together in longitudinal series.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates the bottom of a section of his improved appa ratus which, in general, resembles a sluice box. To said bottom are attached side walls 2, and all the sections, when connected to gether, are confined between the main side walls 3. To the bottom ofthe lower end of each section is secured a wooden bar A to which is fastened, as shown at 6, the upper end of a casting, the lower end of which is formed with a tongue 8, which is inserted between the upper end of the bottom of the next lower section, and a bracket 9 riveted to the under side of said bottom and spaced therefrom. Said casting is formed on its upper side with two approximately semicircular cavities, an upper smaller cavity 11, and a lower cavity 12 of considerably greater width and depth. Fitting within these cavities is a thin plate or lining 13 of silver. The upper end of this plate is bent downward and contained between the cast ing 7 and the bar 4:, and the lower end is bent forward to form a lip 14. This plate is held in position in the cavities by means of vertical end plates 16, the lower edges of which are conformed to fit against said plates in said cavities, said end plates being riveted, as shown at 17, to the sides of the casting. A wearing plate 18 is bolted to the casting, its upper edge projecting over the rear wall of the lower cavity 12. Both of these cavities are filled to a suflicient height with quicksilver.

The upper edge of the plate 18 is slightly higher than the lower edge of the bottom 1 next above it. By reason of this construction, and also by the employment of two cavities or rifiles, one immediately behind the other, two distinct currents are produced, so that the water has at each riffle an eddying downward direction, compelling all material held in suspension to take a similar course, and causing an agitation of said material sufficient to precipitate any gold held in suspension, and to cause it to come in con tact with the quicksilver in the bottom of the riflies, the larger rifl'le principally, and amalgamate with the same, or, if the gold be rusty to cause it to sink to the bottom of said rifile. The pulp is held in loose suspension upon the quicksilver and black sands are kept constantly moving thereon, so that the fine and flake gold sinks therethrough. After passing over each pair of riflles, the gold is able to settle to the bottom of the pulp in passing over the smooth bottom below the same, before arriving at the next pair of rililes.

I claim:

1. A riflle unit consisting of a smaller concave riflle, a larger concave rifile immediately below, and a substantially smooth bottom immediately above, the first-named riflle, and a sheet of amalgamable material lining both of said riffles and having its rear edge bent forward.

2. A riflle unit consisting of a smaller concave rifiie, a larger concave riflie im mediately below, and a substantially smooth bottom immediately above, the first-named riflie, a sheet of amalgamable material lining both of said ritlles, and a lip extending forwardly from the upper end of said bottom and adapted to overlie the larger riflie of another unit.

3. A riflie unit consisting of a smaller concave riffle, a larger concave riffie immediately below, and a substantially smooth bottom immediately above, the first-named riffie, a sheet of amalgamable material lining both of said rifiies and having its rear edge bent forwardly, and a lip extending forwardly from the upper end of said bottom and adapted to overlie the larger riffie of another unit.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 10 Witnesses. 7

LEWIS J. FOX, Administrator of the estate of said W z'ZZiam 0. Few, deceased. V

Witnesses:

F. M. WRIGHT, D. B. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five .cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington. D. (3. V 

